Trim press assembly

ABSTRACT

Advancing apparatus for a trim press of articles formed into a web in repeat patterns, having a reciprocating pusher that has a regular stroke length, and periodically has a greater stroke length by reason of actuation of a special fluid cylinder that in one form of the invention forms a component of the connecting linkage from the power drive to the pusher, and in a second form of the invention, is attached to an extensible portion on the pusher.

United States Patent Inventor Roger L. Medendorp Grand Rapids, Mich. Appl. No. 792,618 Filed Jan. 21, 1969 Patented May 4, 1971 Assignee Kirkhoi Manufacturing Corporation Grand Rapids, Mich.

TRIM PRESS ASSEMBLY 4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl...., 83/238, 226/62, 226/123 Int. Cl B65h 17/18 field of Search 226/52, 62,

123; 83/238, 239 (inquired) [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,388,625 6/1968 OBrien et al..... 226/123X 3,444,768 5/1969 McGara et al. 226/ 1 23X Primary Examiner-Allen N. Knowles Att0rneyJohn Noel Williams ABSTRACT: Advancing apparatus for a trim press of articles formed into a web in repeat patterns, having a reciprocating pusher that has a regular stroke length, and periodically has-a greater stroke length by reason of actuation of a special-fluid cylinder that in one form of the invention forms a component of the connecting linkage from the power drive to the pusher, and in a second form of the invention, is attached to an extensible portion on the pusher.

Patnted May 4,1971 3,577,821

3 Sheets-Shoot 1 INVENT 00m. nlai lwp ab BY Patented May 4, 1971 3,577,821

3 Sheets-Shut 2 INVENTOR. 66 1. #5054104? ,4 rrvex/ Kr Patentecl May 4, 1971 v 3 Sheets-Shani 5 INVENTOK 21668 4. Mama 004w I rival J10 TRIM mass ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to apparatus for intermittently ad-' vancing a web with configurated portions to a press, and more particularly to such for advancing, to a trim press, repeat patterns of articles fomied into the web, each pattern being a plurality of articles.

In application Ser. No. 651,334, now US Pat. No. 3,388,625 entitled Sheet Forming And Post-Forming Trim Method and Apparatus," a divisional application of application Ser. No. 42l,l35, filed July 15, 1965, now US. Pat. No. 3,356,l35 with the same title, there is disclosed and claimed an article-advancing mechanism employing a special link with alternate different pivot points for varying the advancing stroke length. Although such apparatus is completely effective for many speeds of operation, it does present time lapse difficulties at a relatively high rate of product output possible with present forming equipment. Such apparatus is also relatively complex to manufacture, install and adjust.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefor an object of this invention to provide a novel article-in-web advancing apparatus capable of high-speed operation while still effectuating the regular stroke plus periodic extended stroke for advancing spaced pattern of articles in the web through the trim press. The apparatus employs a linkage between the power drive and the article pusher, with special supplemental power means operably associated with the apparatus to effect the periodic stroke extension.

In the preferred form of the apparatus, the linkage has a fluid cylinder as an integral component thereof.

In a second form of the apparatus, a powered extension is mounted on the pusher member itself.

Both forms constitute relatively simple devices to manufac ture and operate, yet capable of high-speed operations due to the structure thereof.

Additional features, objects, and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description and the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partial side elevational view of the first form of the novel apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a partial plan view of a portion of the apparatus in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial end view of a portion of the apparatus in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a partial side elevational view of a second form of the apparatus;

FIG. 5 is a partial plan view of the apparatus in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a partial end elevational view of the apparatus in FIGS. 4 and 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now specifically to the drawings, and particularly FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, assembly 10 there illustrated constitutes the basic components of a trim press for severing individual articles A from a web matrix W into which the articles are formed in patterns, each pattern constituting a plurality of the articles, here shown to be three in a pattern, and separated by a web section W. The trim press has a suitable plurality of reciprocating die components including male die component. 12 and female die component 14, of suitable configuration to match the article configuration. These three-dimensional articles are formed into the web W by pressure differential techniques e.g. according to the teachings in US. Pat. Nos. 3,166,790 and 3,190,946.

The dies are powered by suitable power drive means (not shown) such as an electrical motor, which operates a gear box subassembly 18. This same box subassembly also controls the web-advancing apparatus illustrated.

More specifically, gear box subassembly l8 drives, through an endless member 22, an eccentric rotational cam 20. Engaging the periphery of this cam is a cam follower 24 which is affixed to a lever 26 pivoted at its lower end on axis 28 so as to oscillate within an arc. Restraining cam follower 24 against cam 20 is a fluid-biasing cylinder 28 affixed on one end to the trim press assembly, and having its piston rod pivotally attached to the upper end of lever 26. Also affixed to the upper end of lever 26 is one end of a tie rod 32, the other end of which is attached to a second pivotal lever 34. Lever 34 is pivoted at its lower end to pin 36 for oscillating in an arc. Connection of tie rod 32 to lever 34 is variable along the radial length of lever 34, to enable adjustment of the size are of lever 34 with oscillation of the mechanism. Pivotally attached to the upper end of lever 34 is a second tie rod means 40 which is pivotally attached at its opposite end to link 42. An important component of tie rod subassembly 40 is fluid cylinder 44 forming an integral part of the tie rod, so that the tie rod is instantly controllably changeable in length to a predetermined amount and back again to the original length. It normally has the length illustrated in FIG. 1, but can be periodically controllably extended momentarily by extension of cylinder 44, followed by its subsequent contraction to change the length back to the original length. This extension and contraction is actuated through a limit switch 46 adjacent gear box subassembly l8, controlled by a timing cam 48 operated by the gear box.

Link 42 is pivotally mounted on its upper end to the transverse shaft 50. Also secured to this shaft, to be rotated therewith, is the lower end of cantilever swing arm 52. Mounted on the free end of this cantilever arm is pusher element or member 54 which projects downwardly to engage the back side of the articles A and push them down towards die means 12, 14 when lowered as illustrated by the phantom lines 54A.

Thus, operation of gear box subassembly 18 to reciprocate dies l2, 14, also causes a constant lowering and raising of pusher 54 by the linkage just noted. The return upward stroke of pusher member 54 does not drag or crush articles A in web W because the pusher member is shifted arcuately out away from the articles in its upward stroke by a fluid cylinder 60. It is secured on one end to a fixed mount 62, and has its extended piston rod pivotally attached to bracket extension 54' of pusher member 54, extending upwardly above pivot pin 55 which pivotally secures pusher S4 to cantilever arm 52. Contraction of cylinder 60 thus pulls pusher member out away from the articles during the return upward stroke, while extension of cylinder 60 pivots pusher 54 back in behind subsequent articles A for the lowering advancing stroke. This latter movement is cushioned by a fluid cylinder 66 having one end mounted to extended piston rod 60' of cylinder 60, and the other end attached to bracket 54'. Cushioning means 66 is important to enable the equipment to operate at high speeds without crushing the articles when pusher 54 is brought back into engagement therewith. Further, biasing member 28"is important to prevent cam follower 24 from flying out of engagement with the high-speed rotating cam 20. The positive connection of all of the elements in this linkage from lever 26 through pusher 54 prevents any play or slop from occurring during high-speed operation. Hence, it has been found that articles can be rapidly pushed with an intermittent motion into operative relationship with dies l2, 14, to accommodate highspeed output of the forming equipment.

Normally, each pattern of articles will have about three articles arranged one behind the other and separated by short web sections W" (see FIG. 1). Each article may alternatively be.

stroke length equal to the width of the last article plus the web section W" interconnecting the patterns. This extended stroke length is achieved during this stroke by extension of tie rod subassembly 40 by extension of cylinder 44 when limit switch 46 is activated by cam 48, to thereby open a suitable fluid valve (not shown) to activate cylinder 44. As soon as this extended stroke occurs, cylinder 44 again contracts to enable the regular stroke length to be repeated for a predetermined number of strokes.

In the second fonn of the apparatus, i.e. assembly 100 illustrated in FIGS. 4, and 6, cam 120 operated by the same gear box as in the first form shifts cam follower 124 engaging the cam, against the bias of a coil compression spring 128 which maintains the cam follower in engagement with cam 120. Cam follower is attached to pivotal link 126 mounted on shaft 128 on its lower end to oscillate the link through an arc. Tie rod 132 is mounted on one of its ends to the upper end of pivotal lever 126, and is mounted on its other end to the second pivotal lever 134. Lever 134 is pivotally affixed on its lower end by a pin 136 to a fixed bracket support 137. The upper end of lever 134 includes a rolling contact member 135 that engages a follower 139 on the lower end of link 142 that pivots about its upper end on shaft 150. Also affixed to rotate with shaft 150 is cantilever arm 152. On the free end of cantilever. arm 152 is a pushing subassembly 154 pivotally affixed at pin 155 and having a bracket 154' extending upwardly therefrom on the opposite side of the pivot. A fluid cylinder 160 mounted on one end to arm 152 and having its piston rod connected to extended bracket 154 enables pusher subassembly 154 to be rotated about pivot 155, so that it may be first brought into engagement behind an article when advancing the article to die means 114, 112, and then may be shifted outwardly out of engagement with the articles by contraction with cylinder 160 for the return upward stroke of the pusher subassembly.

This pusher subassembly is unique in having a vertical slide member 159 connected to the extended piston rod 161 of a fluid cylinder 163 (part of which is shown). This cylinder 163 is mounted to a fixed portion of subassembly 154 so that, with extension of the cylinder, slide member 159 may be extended downwardly as illustrated by the phantom lines. This effectively momentarily extends the pusher member a predetermined amount upon signal to increase the effective stroke length when needed.

In operation of this second form of the apparatus therefor, rotation of cam 120 constantly causes a reciprocating vertical movement of pusher subassembly 154, to enable it to engage articles and push them to the die means, and then retract out of engagement with the articles for a repeated plurality of strokes equal to the number of articles in each pattern formed in the matrix, minus one. Then, at the last article, i.e. at periodic intervals, fluid cylinder 163 is activated to cause the subsequent stroke to pusher means to be extended, in that extended portion 159 provides a supplemental feed movement to the articles, so that the stroke length is extended to equal the width of the last article plus the web section connecting two patterns of articles.

This second form of the apparatus is also capable of highspeed operation, except that some jumping can occur between elements and 139 at very high speeds. In some instances it may be desirable to pivotally connect these two members to have a positive connection between all of the elements of the linkage. This apparatus is relatively simple, easy to install and adjust, and reliable in operation. Cylinder 163 may be activated'with a suitable limit switch or the like by a suitable cam from the gear box in a manner similar to that of the assembly in FIG. 1.

It is entirely conceivable that those having ordinary skill in this art may conceive of structural variations and/or other advantages without departing from the concept presented, and hence the invention is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims and the reasonable equivalents thereto.

1 claim: 1. In combination with a trim press, apparatus for advancing three-dimensional articles formed into a generally continuous web in repeat-spaced patterns through the trim press, each pattern being a plurality of articles, comprising: reciprocable article-pushing means, power drive means for said trim press and for reciprocating said pushing means in a repeat-stroke length; thrust transmitting means operably associated between said power-drive means and said pushing means; an extensible portion operably associated with said pushing means to enable said stroke length to be varied, and power means to operate said extensible portion to periodically vary said stroke length; said pushing means including a pivotal pushing member and a fluid cylinder connected thereto to pivot said member into and out of engagement with articles; said extensible portion being on said pushing member, and said power means being a fluid cylinder also on said pushing member and connected to said extensible portion.

2. in combination with a trim press, apparatus for advancing through the trim press, three-dimensional articles formed into a generally continuous web in repeat-spaced patterns, each pattern being a plurality of articles, comprising: reciprocable article-pushing means, power-drive means for said trim press and for reciprocating said pushing means in a repeat-stroke length, and linkage means connected to said pushing means and operably associated with said power drive means; said linkage means including, as an integral component thereof, an extensible-contractible fluid cylinder; and control means operably associated with said cylinder to periodically momentarily actuate said cylinder for altering said stroke length; said power-drive means including a cam, said linkage means having a cam follower engaging said cam, and biasing means mounted to retain said cam follower in engagement with said cam.

3. The apparatus in claim 2 wherein said pushing means includes a pivotal pushing member and a fluid cylinder connected thereto to pivot said member into engagement with articles to be advanced for the advance stroke and out of engagement with advanced articles for the return stroke.

4. The apparatus in claim 3 including a cushioning means also connected to said pushing member. 

1. In combination with a trim press, apparatus for advancing three-dimensional articles formed into a generally continuous web in repeat-spaced patterns through the trim press, each pattern being a plurality of articles, comprising: reciprocable articlepushing means, power drive means for said trim press and for reciprocating said pushing means in a repeat-stroke length; thrust transmitting means operably associated between said powerdrive means and said pushing means; an extensible portion operably associated with said pushing means to enable said stroke length to be varied, and power means to operate said extensible portion to periodically vary said stroke length; said pushing means including a pivotal pushing member and a fluid cylinder connected thereto to pivot said member into and out of engagement with articles; said extensible portion being on said pushing member, and said power means being a fluid cylinder also on said pushing member and connected to said extensible portion.
 2. In combination with a trim press, apparatus for advancing through the trim press, three-dimensional articles formed into a generally continuous web in repeat-spaced patterns, each pattern being a plurality of articles, comprising: reciprocable article-pushing means, power-drive means for said trim press and for reciprocating said pushing means in a repeat-stroke length, and linkage means connected to said pushing means and operably associated with said power drive means; said linkage means including, as an integral component thereof, an extensible-contractible fluid cylinder; and control means operably associated with said cylinder to periodically momentarily actuate said cylinder for altering said stroke length; said power-drive means including a cam, said linkage means having a cam follower engaging said cam, and biasing means mounted to retain said cam follower in engagement with said cam.
 3. The apparatus in claim 2 wherein said pushing means includes a pivotal pushing member and a fluid cylinder connected thereto to pivot said member into engagement with articles to be advanced for the advance stroke and out of engagement with advanced articles for the return stroke.
 4. The apparatus in claim 3 including a cushioning means also connected to said pushing member. 